Planes and Helicopters
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: Harold sees Jeremy for the first time at the Sodor Airport, and the two get into an argument. When Harold saves a sailor at Arlesburgh Harbour, Jeremy is determined to do better, but that "better" lands him in danger.


It was a pleasant morning for Harold the Helicopter.

He was patrolling the island for disaster.

"Today seems all fine." Harold observed, "It's nice to have a day with no excitement."

His pilot agreed, but suddenly noticed something.

"We barely have any fuel left! We better go to the Sodor Airport; it's the nearest place with fuel!"

"Of course pilot! Sodor Airport, the next destination!" and Harold buzzed in the direction of the airport.

At the airport, Jeremy was flying after a flight to London.

He was just landing when he saw Harold buzz above the airport.

"What's that helicopter want?" Jeremy thought.

He noticed Harold hover over the fuel tank that was right next to Jeremy's hanger and Harold landed next to it.

"Just in time," panted Harold, "I don't want a day where I run out of fuel."

Jeremy was curious as to who the helicopter was.

"Um, excuse me? Hello? Hi. I'm Jeremy, the jet plane of Sodor. And you are?" Jeremy said awkwardly.

Harold looked over.

"I'm Harold, the helicopter. I'm part of the Sodor Search and Rescue Team. I'm very useful. Rescuing people is very important."

Jeremy sensed a hint of cockiness in Harold's voice.

"And? Transporting those people is important too!" Jeremy huffed.

"Nonsense. Well, maybe it's important, but helicopters can do it better." Harold scoffed.

Jeremy glared at the helicopter, and Harold glared back.

A staredown began, and it would've continued for a while too if Sidney didn't roll into the airport.

"Uh, hello?" Sidney asked the two aircraft.

Harold and Jeremy shifted their glares to Sidney.

"Oh... Sorry... Am I interrupting?"

"...perhaps." muttered Harold.

"Oh, sorry... Can you tell me where the Coaling Plant is? I have to take these empty trucks there. Logan needs them."

"There are two Coaling Plants," explained Jeremy, "One's north of Wellsworth, the other at Crosby. The one you're looking for, since Logan works there, is the Crosby Coal Company."

"Oh... Whoops! Better be there!" and Sidney hurried away.

"This isn't over, Jeremy." Harold scowled as his tank was filled up, "I'll prove to you that helicopters are better than jet planes any day..." and he buzzed away.

Jeremy just laughed.

"Heh heh, what a silly buzzer..."

Harold landed at Dryaw Airfield, for he wasn't told to go to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre.

He sighed as he landed next to Terence, who was plowing the field there.

"Hello Harold." said Terence cheerfully.

"Pah!" snorted Harold.

"What's wrong, Harold?" asked Terence worriedly, "I don't think I've ever seen you so cross."

"It's that Jeremy!" Harold said angrily.

"The jet plane at the Sodor Airport? What's wrong with him?" Terence asked quietly.

"He's so obnoxious, thinking planes are superior to helicopters! Well, I've got a word or two for him!" Harold snorted.

Terence sighed.

"Jeremy's sometimes like that, Harold. He once teased the engines for being engines, but he soon proved his worth. I wouldn't stress about it much, if I were you."

But Harold had been so angry he had ignored Terence.

"Harold? Um... Harold?"

Before Harold could answer the tractor, an alert went off.

"There's a sailor who needs rescuing at Arlesburgh Harbour!" cried Harold's pilot, "We must rescue him!"

"Yes pilot, we must! Bye bye, Terence! Rescue in progress!" and Harold buzzed away.

Terence just sighed in exasperation.

Harold soon arrived at Arlesburgh Harbour.

Down below, he could see the sailor drowning.

"Captain's patrolling the other parts of the sea! Go, Harold!" called Duck, who was there with some trucks of fish.

"It's alright, Duck! I've done many rescues like this before!" and Harold lowered down to the sea.

The pilot jumped out and swam toward the sailor.

"Give me your hand!" cried the pilot.

The sailor reached out and grabbed the pilot's arm, and the pilot climbed up the rope with the sailor, shivering, up the rope and back into Harold.

"Mission accomplished!" Harold grinned as he flew away.

Duck whistled in admiration.

"Well done, Harold! You truly are a hero to Sodor!" he called.

Harold just grinned wider as he flew towards the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre.

Jeremy scoffed as he rested for his next flight.

"That stupid whirlybird thing has no idea how to be a real aircraft. Can _it_ do anything reasonable?"

"I would say so," said Derek was he came to a halt at the station, while on his way to the Rescue Centre to drop off some health equipment.

Jeremy eyed him suspiciously.

"Oh, really? What did he do?"

"Over the radio we heard that Harold had just saved a sailor from drowning at Arlesburgh Harbour." explained Derek, "Gosh, that must take some real talent."

"...pfft." snorted Jeremy, "What, is he a member of the Sodor Search and Rescue team or something?"

"How did you guess?" chuckled Derek.

"...lucky." muttered Jeremy, "But the point is that it's his job to do that."

"Doesn't make it any less brave." said Derek solemnly as he honked his horn.

Jeremy's eyes narrowed.

"That helicopter's just a fuddy duddy... I'll show him that I'm better." he said to himself.

"Were you saying something?" asked Derek.

"Um.. no."

Derek sighed and oiled away.

Loud thunder was heard.

Jeremy looked up and grinned.

"Helicopters can't get people to the Mainland in an emergency, now can they?"

Derek soon arrived at the Rescue Centre; by this time, dark clouds started to loom over the area.

Harold was hovering over to the new hospital. Derek gazed up.

"Well done Harold! I heard all about it! 'Tis a shame that Jeremy isn't impressed."

Harold rolled his eyes as he landed on his helipad, while the pilot helped the sailor to the hospital.

"What does he matter?"

"I'd say you did a good job." said Belle, "You are a useful helicopter."

"Thanks, Belle."

Loud thunder sounded as the clouds headed towards the Rescue Centre.

"Oh my. Sounds like a storm's picking up." observed Derek as the wind started gusting around leaves.

"Yes; I'd prefer not to go up and fly again." worried Harold.

"Isn't there a flight to the Mainland in an hour?" asked Belle, more than concerned.

Harold gasped.

"Goodness, you're right!"

"What's that got to do with it?" asked Butch.

"I think Jeremy will try and prove he's better by flying in the storm! Oh no, I've got to stop him!"

Harold's pilot ran back to his companion, and Harold explained his concern.

"Why, if Jeremy tries such a stunt, he'll be done for! All that turbulence can cause a plane to run out of control!" cried Derek.

Harold's pilot agreed to the concern as the dark clouds loomed over them.

A clash of thunder sounded, and a bolt of lightning could be seen in the distance.

"Be alert Belle, for fires. I'll go and save Jeremy." called Harold as rain started to sprinkle down.

"Hurry!" called Derek intently.

Harold's blades started to spin as he took to the sky.

"I hope he makes it in time." worried Belle as the rain started to pour harder.

At the Sodor Airport, Jeremy was filling up on fuel and was ready to collect his passengers when Bear rolled up, with the passengers Jeremy was to take to the Mainland.

"Jeremy, this doesn't feel safe..." worried Bear as a giant branch flew past him in the wind.

Jeremy snorted.

"I'm just trying to prove myself, Bear. Besides, plenty of your engines did the same."

"Yes, but they were made to go on rails. You're taking off into the air, which is very unsafe." Bear explained, "They don't have to deal with wind as much as you do."

Jeremy chuckled.

"Well, jet planes are better and that's that."

Jeremy's passengers climbed into him, and Jeremy's lights turned on.

"See? With these amazing lights, nothing could go wrong!"

Bear frowned as Jeremy took to the sky.

"Well, I tried to warn him." he muttered as he left.

Jeremy grinned as he flew into the clouds.

"Heh, soft and fluffy water vapor! It can't hurt you!"

Suddenly loud thunder boomed, and a bolt of lightning flashed.

Jeremy gulped.

"Um... okay... That was a little scary, but nothing too-."

More thunder rumbled in the air.

Jeremy winced as the wind started again, and turbulence started to take its effect on the jet plane.

"Oookay, this is kind've dangerous." muttered Jeremy as he flew over Killdane, "This wind is nuts!"

Little did he know that Harold was following him, desperately trying to call him back, his searchlight beaming brightly in Jeremy's direction.

"The thunderstorm's too dangerous!" Harold cried as more thunder struck, "Jeremy, you must seek shelter!"

But Jeremy didn't hear Harold, for he was too far away.

Harold knew he had to fly faster, so he flew as fast as he dared, considering the circumstances.

"Must... Get... Nearer..." panted the helicopter.

Jeremy was now frightened; lightning had zapped out his electrical equipment while the turbulence was very strong indeed; it flew the jet plane about.

"Heellp!" wailed Jeremy. Harold buzzed behind the jet plane.

"Land **now**! There's a field right below us!"

"No need to tell me twice!" cried Jeremy as he took a nosedive, then silently landed on the patch of grass.

Jeremy kept moving until he was right in front of a storage shed.

The passengers were relieved as Harold buzzed next to him.

"What were you thinking, Jeremy?" asked Harold sternly.

Jeremy looked down sadly.

"...I guess I wasn't thinking." Jeremy muttered.

Harold sighed uncomfortably.

"To be honest, I was cross... I thought you were being boastful, but to tell you the truth, I guess I was being a little boastful myself. I'm sorry, Jeremy."

"Me too," agreed Jeremy, "Let's just agree that we're both great at doing what we do."

Harold grinned.

"Indeed!"

It wasn't until morning that the storm cleared, but during the night, Harold and Jeremy had become very good friends indeed.

In the morning, Jeremy flew off to London again, while Harold returned to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre.

When he landed, Butch was there, waiting.

"Belle's fighting a fire that struck a tree in Henry's Forest, Harold. How was your rescue?" he asked.

Harold smiled.

"Jeremy and I are good friends now; our rivalry is behind us. Oh, and I did manage to get him down from that storm. Powerful wind, I say."

Butch laughed.

"Right! But the good news is that everyone is safe; that's the best part of a rescue."

Harold agreed, as he noticed Jeremy, far away in the sky.

"Good to know I'm now friends with the main other aircraft."

Harold chuckled to himself and the helicopter could've sworn that Jeremy had winked.


End file.
